Gun Show Includes Other Gear Event Branches Out To Attract Families

The silver gun glistened in the fluorescent lighting as Soto bounced it from one hand to the other, peered down the barrel and searchedor a good reason to buy the gun that he has coveted for so long.

``Relatively, it would be really a good deal,`` said Soto, a Miami resident. ``But $390 would be better. There are usually a lot of good deals at these shows. You just have to search for them.``

Soto was one of about 300 bargain hunters who attended Sunday`s Fort Lauderdale Gun, Military and Outdoors Show, held at the War Memorial Auditorium.

Interested in a pair of Korean battle fatigues? A Nazi officer`s uniform? A sword supposedly taken from a Japanese general moments before he was executed for committing war crimes during World War II?

Well, this was the place to find such gear.

``We have a little bit of something for everyone,`` said Joseph Stegh, the show`s promoter. ``There are camouflage nightgowns, camouflage diapers, camping, hunting and fishing equipment.``

Gun shows are generally perceived negatively by the public, Stegh said. So he wants to set the record straight about his show.

``This is an outdoor show for the family,`` Stegh said. ``We are trying to evolve these shows into a family format and create a sporting event. In the past we would only attract old war veterans. We would like to attract the younger crowd to these shows.``

Stegh estimated that more than 1,000 people attended the two-day show and sale.

Andy Van Der Plants traveled from Fort Meyers, with his van filled with thousands of dollars` worth of military regalia. He said he attends about 20 shows a year and boasted that he has anything a military enthusiast could ever desire.

The show provided Bob Shemetch, a Fort Lauderdale resident, with the opportunity to collect rare military souvenirs for the antique shop he plans to open later this year.

``I`m very impressed by the collectibles,`` Shemetch said, as he picked through a 39-year-old passport and an assortment of military decorations. ``I have customers and I know what they like. I think the show is excellent because there is quite a bit of variety.``